Bill Gates 10 Favorite Books

Bill Gates 10 Favorite Books

Recently Bill Gates named his top 10 Favorite Books to editor Aaron Hicklin's website One Grand Books. Aaron Hicklin asked people to name the 10 books they’d take with them if they were marooned on a desert island.

Following are the 10 books that Bill Gates would take with him, if he is going to get marooned on a desert island.

“Seveneves,” Neal Stephenson

This novel about how the human race responds to the end of life on Earth rekindled my love for sci-fi. Some readers will lose patience with all the technical details about orbits and spaceflight, but for me, it’s an engrossing and thought-provoking story.

“How Not to be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking,” Jordan Ellenberg

A mathematician explains how math plays into our daily lives without our even knowing it. The writing is funny, smooth and accessible — not what you might expect from a book on this subject. Ellenberg’s larger point is that there are ways in which we’re all doing math, all the time.

“Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind,” Yuval Noah Harari

This look at the entire history of the human race sparked lots of great conversations at our family’s dinner table. Harari also writes about our species today and how artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and other technologies will change us in the future.

“The Power to Compete,” Ryoichi Mikitani and Hiroshi Mikitani

Why was Japan, the juggernaut of the 1980s, eclipsed by South Korea and China? And can its economy come back? A smart look at the future of a fascinating country.

“The Vital Question,” Nick Lane

I wish more people knew about this British biologist’s work. He is trying to get people to fully appreciate the role energy plays in the evolution of life on Earth (and, maybe, other places). Even if he turns out to be wrong about certain details, I suspect his ideas will be seen as an important contribution to our understanding of where we come from, and where are we going.

“Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street,” John Brooks

Warren Buffett gave me this fantastic collection of articles that Brooks wrote for The New Yorker. Although Brooks was writing in the 1960s, his insights are timeless and a reminder that the rules for running a great company don’t change. I read it more than two decades ago, and it’s still my pick for the best business book ever.

“The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald

The novel that I reread the most. Melinda and I love one line so much that we had it painted on a wall in our house: “His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”

“Parenting With Love and Logic,” Foster Cline and Jim Fay

As the parents of three children, Melinda and I have spent a lot of time reading and discussing this book. It has been an invaluable guide for both of us, especially when it comes to de-escalating those inevitable conflicts between parents and kids.

“Sustainable Energy — Without the Hot Air,” David JC MacKay

A fantastic guide to thinking more numerically about clean energy, and the most accessible explanation of this subject that I’ve seen. I still refer to it myself, which is a bittersweet experience now — David died in April, at the age of 48.

“The Better Angels of Our Nature,” Steven Pinker

Proof that the world is becoming more peaceful. It’s not just a question for historians, but a profound statement about human nature and the possibility for a better future. This book may have shaped my outlook more than any other.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/20/t-magazine/my-10-favorite-books-bill-gates.html?_r=1